Happy New Year!!!
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2012!
…from your classy, resident cheezeball blogger.
Our New Year’s Eve began with a couple beverages and great friends.
Jeff, Sarah, Brian, Mal, Jay, and myself enjoyed a delicious NYE dinner at The Melting Pot.
Jeff & Sarah had never been, and you may remember that Jay and I went for our first time exactly a year ago with Brian & Mal.
Since it was NYE and all, we decided to go big and all ordered the Four Course Classic. We came with hungry bellies, so we were ready!
First Course: Cheese
We all ended up ordering a different cheese, so we had three to choose from.
I think my favorite out of all three cheese fondues was the Spinach Artichoke, but I will say that the Traditional Swiss was pretty darn fantastic when paired with the apples.
Second Course: Salad
I ordered the House Salad with their sweet and tangy dressing on the side. It was pretty simple, but the dressing was great.
Third Course: Meat
A lot of people don’t realize that you actually cook your own meat, which I think is pretty cool.
We chose to cook ours in vegetable broth (rather than canola oil) and every single option totally blew me away. They were SO full of flavor! I think my favorite may have been the Sesame-Crusted Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna. Lucky for me, it wasn’t Jay’s favorite.
Fourth Course: Chocolate!
By far, my favorite course of the evening.
Jay and I went with the Flaming Turtle (milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans flambéed tableside), which is the same thing we got last time.
Thankfully, they actually remembered the pecans this time, which were no doubt my favorite part of the fondue.
I may or may not have been eating the fondue right from the pot with the spoon…
(P.S. – I got such a kick out of comparing the photos from our first visit to last night’s – it’s amazing what a difference this camera makes. I am in LOVE!)
One of the things I love about The Melting Pot is that it’s not just a dinner, it’s more like a total experience. We had dinner reservations at 6:15 and didn’t end up leaving the restaurant until 10:00pm. Plus, since everything is so spread out, I didn’t feel at all stuffed or uncomfortable by the time we left. It was great!
After dinner, we headed over to our friends’ Brook & Andrea’s house and enjoyed a few laughs and a few cocktails.
My beverage of choice: Mal’s concoction of raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, and champagne. Deeeelicious.
After that, the camera ended up getting put away, but the fun lasted after the ball dropped and well into the evening. I didn’t end up going to bed until 4am last night and I honestly can’t even tell you guys when the last time was that had happened. Crazy!
Nonetheless, it was a great end to 2011 and I really have SO much to look forward to in 2012. Here’s to making it the best year yet!!
Questions for the Morning:
How did you ring in the New Year?
Speaking of which…do you say “ring in” or “bring in?” I never know!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says
It is seriously going to be a great year. I can feel it. I’m getting good vibes. 2012.
Sarah (I Dream of Beets) says
I was so happy I made it until 11:00, and that was a STRUGGLE. Gluten-free pizza and champagne was the perfect end to 2011.
Lindsey says
Ring in and we went to a NYE Gala, which was awesome and fun to dress up all pretty versus the normal house parties we go to. Happy New Year!
Khushboo says
I love your second question- I was debating it when I was titling my post today! Happy new year Courtney, hope 2012 is your best year yet!
Elizabeth @TheBareMidriff says
We stayed in – made a delicious homemade crab stock and used it to make shrimp bisque, and also made a little cedar-smoked salmon. We love celebrating by splurging on a delicious meal we can cook ourselves and take our time with. It makes it special when we don’t have to hustle and bustle like we usually do when we make dinner during the week!
Shannon says
I stayed home and watched Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2012 on TV. As always, it was a good show- some of the performances were pretty bad (for example: Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber- don’t get me started on those two). My family was all upstairs in the living room when the ball dropped. Then I continued to watch the party after with performances from Hollywood by LMFAO (Party Rock Anthem), another Nicki Minaj song (that stunk), and the Beyonce tribute (I was here)- that perfomance was AMAZING! I love Beyonce. :) After that, I watched a couple season 2 episodes of Modern Family and fell asleep during it.
I say “ring in” the New Year- I bet you could say either one.
Tee @ She Writes, Bites, and Window Shops says
LOVE The Melting Pot! Happy New Year to you!
erica says
happy new year! you look like you had a great NYE!
i spent my NYE on the couch w/my husband and puppy, watching Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead….(our dog HATES fireworks, so we feel bad leaving him alone on nye!)
Marty says
I’m a huge fan of The Melting Pot. It’s so much fun and I swear I could just go for the cheese and chocolate. No main course needed. I had a low-key New Year’s at home with fireworks, champagne, homemade chicken salad, and fro-yo. Mmmm!
Dusty says
My husband and I went to the Melting Pot to celebrate for anniversary once. It was delicious.
Sounds like you had a right evening. Hope your day is going well too.
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
what a fun evening!! i LOVE the melting pot! what a great place to have a new year’s eve dinner. and i’m with ya on the dessert fondue being the best part!! the PB & chocolate fondue is my favorite. happy new year!
J @ ... semplicemente j ... says
I love making traditional cheese fonduta with Emmenthal and Gruyere cheese … or meat with an endless selection of sauces … and to finish off … chocolate and fruit … I love making it for family and friends at home!
4AM … I am STILL paying for my 2AM bedtime and it is almost 5PM!
Happy New Year!
Brandi @ Faith Fitness and Laughter says
Wow! sounds like you guys had a great night! I sadly brought in the New year with a head cold. I made it to midnight, but it was not because I wanted to be up…..I couldn’t breathe! lol!
Melissa @ Will Work for Veggies says
Oh man, I love the Melting Pot but it is SPENDY! :) It looks like you guys had a blast– yum! :)
I spent yesterday at my bf’s parents (with him, obviously) and then back at his house to watch Ryan Secrest and celebrate with more champagne! I get on a plane to go back to school tomorrow, so I decided to take it chill :)
I say ‘ring in’, but it’s true… I think you can either one!
Katie @ Katie Without Restrictions says
LOVE the Melting Pot! Happy New Year!